Catherine Hardy

Fierce fighting has broken out in the al Zahra neighbourhood of northwestern Aleppo.

Opposition fighters launched a counter-offensive on government-held parts of the city on Friday.

A Syrian pro-rebel media outlet announced on Saturday rebels had taken the residential suburb of Dahiyet al-Assad.

“In the name of Allah the Merciful, since yesterday we have taken over Dahiyet Al-Assad and have liberated it entirely and thank God for this and now we are on the outskirts of Al-Academia,” a rebel spokesman told reporters.

The dead and injured

Activists say more than 15 civilians have been killed and 100 wounded by rebel shelling sicne the counter-offensive began on Friday.

State media say seven people have died.

There are conflicting accounts of advances in areas on Aleppo’s outskirts.

While the insurgents claim to have taken Dahiyet al-Assad, a Syrian military source says the army and its allies have thwarted what he calls “an extensive attack” on south and west Aleppo.

Aleppo – in depth

Debris can be seen littering the streets of what is said to be Dahiyet al-Assad.

A Syrian pro-rebel media outlet said on Saturday rebels had taken the area of western Aleppo in a counter-offensive on government-held parts of the city.

Syrian rebels, including jihadists, launched an offensive on Friday. Their aim is to break a weeks-long siege on eastern Aleppo.

Activists say more than 15 civilians have been killed and 100 wounded by rebel shelling of the government-held west of the city.

State media say seven people have died.

There are conflicting accounts of advances in areas on the city’s outskirts.

Some claim the insurgents have taken part of the residential suburb of Dahiyet al-Assad.

Others say most of it has been taken.

However, a Syrian military source says the army and its allies have thwarted what he calls “an extensive attack” on south and west Aleppo.

State television is reporting the army has destroyed four car bombs.

Iraqi Shi’ite militia

A coalition of Iranian-backed Iraqi Shi’ite militia plans to cross the border into Syria to fight alongside President Bashar al-Assad after “clearing” ISIL militants from Iraq.

Iraqi Shi’ite militia are already fighting on Assad’s side in the country’s conflict.

The coalition is currently participating in an Iraqi government offensive to recapture the northern city of Mosul from ISIL.

The announcement by the coalition, known as Hashid Shaabi or Popular Mobilisation, would formalise its involvement in Syria.

What they are saying

“After clearing all our land from these terrorist gangs, we are fully ready to go to any place that contains a threat to Iraqi national security,” – Ahmed al-Asadi, spokesman for the Shi’ite coalition.